Dear Crabby, when should I complete my fall clean up?

Monday, November 12, 2012

Dear Crabby,

I am always torn on when to do my fall clean up. Some neighbors get it done early while others wait until just before the snow falls. When do you think is the right time to have the fall clean up completed?

Sincerely, Mr. Neat N. Clean

Dear Mr. Clean,

I am the the kind of guy that really enjoys fall clean up. Not because I like to work on my yard, actually just the opposite. I like to wait until my neighbors get their yards looking all tidy and empty of leaves and then have a big wind blow all the leaves from my yard over into theirs.

I know that sounds pretty evil of me, but I figure it is nature's way of helping to even the playing field for those who seem to have the time and energy to have a perfect yard all year long. I do very little in my yard all summer, but my neighbors have these picture perfect yards all around me.

Then, as soon as a couple of leaves fall, they are out there with rakes and these vacuum cleaner machines and they make the whole yard look spotless. I just sit on my couch and watch. This provides hours of entertainment - I get to see my messy yard drive them nuts!

A few years ago, my son-in-law bought me this great new toy, a leaf blower. It is perfect. When there isn't any wind to count on, I can just go out there for a few minutes and blow all the leaves into their yards by myself. I don't have to exert much energy at all. That is the best invention ever!

However, those skinny paper bags that you are supposed to put yard waste in are probably the worst inventions ever. How in the world are you supposed to fill those things? They are not even wide enough to put things in with two hands, much less a wide rake! Then, when you fill them to the top, you can't close them.

Furthermore, if it rains that week and they get wet at all, they burst out the bottom! And for some reason the dogs and raccoons seem to love to rip them open, for no particular reason, when they are out on the curb!

I say we fill them full of the doggy waste and drop a load of these little packages off at the guy's house who invented these things! Anyway, as far as when to do your own clean up - anything goes.

There is no right or wrong date in my book. But, of course, I still wear socks with my sandals, and I wear white after Labor Day, so you may not want to ask me. Good luck, and let me know how it turns out.

Sincerely, Dear Crabby

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